"I really don't want to go in there," Nathaniel grumbled.

We were sitting in the car in the driveway of his father's house. 'House' seemed too small a word for it. It was a mansion, situated in a neighborhood I didn't even know existed in the city, with stately homes, sprawling gardens and spitting fountains.

The sun had set as we were leaving the apartment, and by the time we got here it was dark. The mansion sparkled, its windows spilling light outside. The fountain in the middle of the driveway gushed glowing water. How in the world did they get water to glow?

There were at least ten cars in the driveway, more parked on the street. Nathaniel was as caught off guard as I was. Claire, who had stayed behind with Mark, had told us it was just a family dinner. Considering the number of cars, it seemed to be more.

The bodyguards parked the car behind us and turned off the lights. I was a little bit nervous. But if I got bored, I would just find Cecile and hang out with her. The little girl was spending the night here, at her grandfather's place.

Nathaniel hit the back of his head against the seat and sighed. I smiled. He was acting like a petulant child.

"I think you're overreacting," I told him.

"Overreacting?" He asked with raised brows. "Me?"

"Just a little bit," I said, holding my pointer and thumb an inch apart.

He shook his head. "You have no idea what you're about to walk into, young woman," he said, his lips twitching up. "There's nothing scarier than a mother determined to make you her daughter's future spouse."

I snorted and unclasped my belt. "You think too highly of yourself, young man."

I opened the door to his soft chuckle and got out. Nathaniel jumped out and rounded the car towards me.

He was dressed in black khaki pants and a black sweater underneath his coat, the collar of his white shirt peeking through. I smoothed my hand down the white coat I had borrowed from Claire again. Underneath it, I had put on a pale blue silk shirt with long puffed sleeves, tucked into a pair of wide legged white pants that flowed down to my ankles, and beige boots. All of which I had chosen from the clothes Claire brought earlier in the day.

She had rolled in a suitcase bursting with clothes in order to find a proper outfit for this dinner. She kept lending me clothes that she never accepted back. At this rate, I would have her entire wardrobe by the end of the year. When I had said as much, Nathaniel snorted, saying his sister's closet could clothe seven normal women, to which Claire inquired 'how exactly was she not normal?' and then an argument ensued between the two siblings.

"I like what you did with your hair," Nathaniel said. The lights of the house and the garden reflected in his dark eyes like stars.

I touched my fingers to the intricate braid wrapped like a crown around my head, curly strands escaped the plait and framed my face. I had seen it in a picture online. It'd been frustrating to recreate. But the result was worth it.

"Thank you," I said, glad that I decided to try it out.

"Let's go," Nathaniel said, holding out his hand. Right. We were supposed to be dating. I put my hand in his and we walked to the front door. My heels clicked on the white marble of the front porch. The house looked even more grand up close. My heart raced.

Nathaniel rang the doorbell and squeezed my hand. "It'll be okay."

I glanced at him with a smile. "Are you comforting me or yourself?"

He chuckled. "If I try to punch someone, please hold me back."

"What happened to the guy who has good control over his public face?"

He grimaced. "Unfortunately, Evelyn has a way of bringing out the worst in me."

Before he could elaborate, a man opened the door. He was dressed in a black suit and a black bowtie, in his late forties perhaps, with graying hair, a wrinkled face and squinting blue eyes. He nodded at Nathaniel.

"Mr. Maxwell," he said, pulling the door fully open and waving us inside with an elegant sweep of his hand. "Please."

The house came into view, and my jaw almost dropped to the floor. If it wasn't for Nathaniel's hand holding mine, I would've frozen in place.

White marble floor glimmered in front of us in a wide circular space. A staircase with a golden banister was in the center right across the door. It led up and forked into two different staircases leading to the second floor. Four massive white pillars supported the inside porch of the second floor. Two arched entryways on either side of the circular entry hall led to different parts of the house.

Conversation and soft music flowed to my ears. A waiter holding a tray of empty flutes appeared, heading from one archway to the other.

The white walls were paneled with soft golden squares. Abstract paintings decorated the space, and four porcelain vases that looked like they belonged to a museum stood on pedestals around the space.

"Thank you, Larry," Nathaniel said. Larry took our coats and we walked inside. I glanced up. A domed skylight. Of course they'd have a skylight.

"A butler?" I whispered to Nathaniel. "Really?"

"Evelyn's idea," he said, making a face. "She changed Sally, our old housekeeper, as soon as she could."

"So this is where you grew up?" I asked. "I'm half expecting you to wear a crown."

Nathaniel stopped and looked around the space. He gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Yes and no. This is the house I grew up in. But it's not the same place, if that makes any sense," he said, his eyes grew distant. "Evelyn changed more than just the housekeeper."

I squeezed his hand. He blinked and looked at me, then smiled. "Let's go. Put your girlfriend's face on."

I chuckled. "What does that look like?"

"Like you're hopelessly in love," he said and tugged me toward the party. My heart might have skipped a beat.

What did it mean to be in love?

I shook my head and focused on my surroundings. I was no longer home. My pants had decent sized pockets that fit my phone in one and my knife in the other. The weight was familiar and reassuring.

Nathaniel and I stood at the arched entrance. Three steps led down to a hall- it was too big to be called a room. There were around fifty people standing and sitting around in the upholstered furniture. A big fireplace roared to life on one side of the room, adding to the bright glow of the crystal chandelier overhead.

Fortunately for Nathaniel and me, people were dressed in smart casual. I spotted a small shadow running through the adults' legs. Cecile. She was in a cute little blue dress, chasing down a boy around her age. Nathaniel scanned the crowd. He found his target and we stepped down to join the guests.

Before we could take three steps, an old man stood in our way. "Nathaniel! I didn't know you were coming."

"Mr. Walton," Nathaniel said, his smile genuine. He shook the man's hand. "It's been a while."

"I asked Blake earlier and he said you're not coming," the man said, his deep brown skin was a sharp contrast to his green eyes. He looked to be in his early fifties with a jovial face. His broad shoulders and tall stature made him look younger than his wrinkles indicated. His clear eyes settled on me.

Nathaniel put his arm around my shoulder. "This is Daphne, my girlfriend."

I gave Nathaniel a side look. Weren't we supposed to play girlfriend and boyfriend only in front of his father?

"Daphne, this is David Walton," Nathaniel said, ignoring my look. "He's a good friend of the family."

David raised his glass to me. He didn't reach out to shake my hand, and for that I liked him.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Daphne," he said.

"Likewise," I said with a smile.

"To think that I finally get to meet your girlfriend before I die," David said with a glint of humor in his eyes.

I bit back a smile. Nathaniel chuckled, shaking his head. "You're making me look bad here, David."

David's laugh was hearty and infectious. He looked at me. "He's not a bad guy, just give him a chance."

"I will," I said. "I'm sure I'll eventually find some redeeming quality in him."

David laughed again. "Ah, Miss Daphne. I like the way you think."

Nathaniel grinned. "Don't make me regret introducing you to her, David."

After a few minutes, David was pulled aside by another gentleman, and Nathaniel and I trudged on. We were stopped a couple more times, and people looked at me with curiosity, and sometimes suspicion.

"Finally," Nathaniel mumbled after we disentangled ourselves from a couple who wanted to discuss business with Nathaniel.

"That's my father and Evelyn," Nathaniel said, his eyes on a couple ahead of us. The man was wearing a white shirt that stretched over his middle, tucked into dark pants, matching the woman's attire of a white knitted top and a fitted black skirt.

The woman looked our way first. Her blonde hair was cut into a feathery short bob, gleaming golden under the lights, and her clear eyes were those of Blake. She must be Evelyn, Blake's mother.

The man bore little resemblance to Nathaniel except for the strong jaw and tall build. His eyes were a cold gray, and his skin was pale, only two shades darker than his snow white hair. A neatly trimmed white beard covered his jaw.

As we moved towards them, the couple's eyes glanced at Nathaniel before settling on me. Nathaniel's arm was wrapped around my shoulders, so it would be safe to assume they'd come to the conclusion Nathaniel wanted them to come to.

Their faces were perfectly neutral. I didn't know what to make of their reactions.

"Father," Nathaniel said. "Evelyn."

"Nathaniel, my dear," Evelyn said, leaning forward and kissing the air near Nathaniel's cheeks.

Her smile lined her cheeks. She was considerably younger than Nathaniel's father, perhaps in her early forties, at most. Her age showed gracefully on her face. There was no sign of the artificial procedures celebrities went under until their features turned wooden.

"Nathaniel," his father said, his eyes flickering to me. "I didn't expect you to come."

"Here I am," Nathaniel said, he squeezed my shoulder. "Daphne, this is my father, Edgar, and his wife, Evelyn."

"Nice to meet you," I said with a smile.

Evelyn looked about ready to burst with curiosity. Her eyes flickered between us. "Daphne? And you are...?"

"My girlfriend," Nathaniel replied, his smile satisfied. "Daphne Renata."

Evelyn's brows raised slightly before she schooled her expression into a pleasantly polite smile. "How wonderful, Nathaniel. I didn't know you were seeing someone."

"Daphne Renata," Edgar mumbled, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Are you by chance related to the Renatas south of the country? From R&G corp."

I had no idea who he was referring to. "No, I'm not," I said.

"Oh, I see," he said. "I'm not sure I know any Renatas in the city."

I blinked. Was it normal to ask someone about their family on a first meeting? Nathaniel's smile melted.

"Father, this is inappropriate," he said. "We're not here for an interrogation."

"I suppose you're not," Edgar said in his croaky voice. "But I would expect that when my son finally brought home someone, she would at least have a substantial last name."

Ah. No wonder Nathaniel didn't like his father.

"I'm not dating a last name," Nathaniel said, his brows tugged low over his eyes. "And you're not exactly the person I'd go to for relationship advice."

Ouch. That had to have stung. I glanced at Nathaniel. He and his father were in a stare off. Evelyn looked around with a bright smile, as if afraid someone would notice the argument. She didn't seem particularly offended by Nathaniel's remark. Maybe the father and son were used to exchanging scathing comments.

Evelyn cleared her throat. She didn't look at me once after we established that I was a nobody. "Nathaniel, I have some people I would love to introduce you to."

Nathaniel took a deep breath. "Maybe later in the evening," he said. "I see someone I have to speak to."

Edgar clenched his jaw and looked away. Nathaniel and I walked past them.

"Well," I mumbled. "That went fine, don't you think?"

He shook his head. "He's never going to change. I don't know why it still makes me angry even though he's been this way all my life."

A waiter passed by with a tray of flutes. Nathaniel snagged one. "Sparkling water, please."

The waiter nodded. "Right away, sir."

Nathaniel took a sip of his drink and led the way to a corner of the room where a long table had been set with all kinds of appetizers. I hadn't noticed it before.

"Mhm, food," I said, picking up a tiny round thing that looked like a stuffed Brussel sprout. I popped it into my mouth and raised my brows. At least the food was great.

Nathaniel chuckled. He got a plate from the side of the table and loaded a few treats into it, then handed it to me. "Here, these are the best in my opinion."

"Thank you," I said, accepting the plate. We turned toward the room and ate in silence, Nathaniel snagging something from my plate once in a while. The waiter arrived seconds later with a glass of sparkling water. Nathaniel accepted it with a thank you.

"Your drink, my lady," Nathaniel said, handing me the glass.

"Why, thank you. What a gentleman," I said, taking a sip.

Nathaniel's shoulders seemed to lose the tension they'd acquired after speaking to his father. "I'm sorry about my father. He's very..."

"Elitist?" I offered.

"Spot on," he said. "And that's a less jarring way of saying snobby, thank you for caring about not hurting my feelings."

I popped another delicacy into my mouth and hummed. "He's probably going to blow a fuse if he knows that I used to be a prostitute."

"You were a prisoner," Nathaniel said, scowling at me. "And I don't care what he or anyone else thinks."

"I know," I said.

He blinked. "Good."

"Good."

We smiled at each other, his dark eyes warm and captivating.

They were the same eyes I saw everyday, but being out and about with him, I learned that he didn't look at everyone the way he looked at us. Whether it was Claire or Mark or me. He was more vulnerable with people he held dear to him, warmer, more openly affectionate.

Right now. Right now he didn't look at me like he looked at Claire or Mark or Cecile. How had I not noticed it sooner? I curled my toes, feeling my heart flip and turn in my chest.

Someone cleared their throat.

Nathaniel and I jumped. We'd been drifting closer, only the plate I held kept us apart. My cheeks warmed. Nathaniel and I turned to find Evelyn and two other women. Evelyn's smile couldn't be more stiff if she tried.

"Nathaniel," she said. "This is Bridgette Huang and her daughter, Madison. I think I told you before about Madison-"

Nathaniel squinted his eyes, throwing one arm over my shoulder. "I can't say that you have. A pleasure, Mrs. Huang, Miss Huang."

The two women shared their jet black hair and sharp, dark eyes. Both dressed in black and golden shirts and skirts. The older Mrs. Huang raised her chin, looking down her nose at me before smiling at Nathaniel.

"My husband tells me a lot about you, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel nodded. "I'm glad I left a good impression. Mr. Huang isn't with you tonight?"

"No, he had a prior engagement, unfortunately," she said.

I might as well be a fly on the wall for all the attention I got. It suited me perfectly well. That was why I must've been the only one who caught Mrs. Huang nudging her daughter's shoe with hers.

"My Madison is an alumni of the same university you've attended, I understand," she said. "Isn't it right, dear?"

Madison nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. She looked bored out of her mind.

Evelyn and Bridgette kept trying to force Nathaniel and Madison into a connection of some sort. Their attempts failed miserably, it was almost painful to watch. It was quite clear that neither Nathaniel nor Madison were interested. During the struggling conversation, I had finished my plate and my drink, and my bladder was screaming at me.

"Excuse me," I mumbled, stepping out of Nathaniel's arm.

He frowned. I gave him my empty plate and glass and smiled. "I'll be right back."

"I'll show you-"

"I'm sure I can manage," I told him. He looked ready to beg me to save him from the scheming mothers. I gave him a look. You're an adult. Deal with it.

I made my way through the crowd and outside the room into the entry hall. A pair of footsteps followed me. I glanced back to find one of our bodyguards. I hadn't even noticed they were around. He gave me a nod.

One of the waiters helped me find the restroom. It was located in a hallway behind the staircase. My heels clicked on the marble. A couple of women brushed past me, whispering and glancing my way. I guess being Nathaniel's girlfriend for the night made me gossip fodder.

The hallway turned and widened to a big space. There were mirrors on the walls and a couple of seating arrangements on either side of the bathroom door. The soft brown and gold theme continued in the upholstered furniture and carpets. Two young women sat there, and a third was applying her lipstick in front of the wall length mirror.

They all glanced my way then to the bodyguard who planted himself by the wall. I went into the bathroom, aware of the weight of the girls' gazes, and closed the door behind me.

The bathroom was fit to be the set of a movie. I was afraid to do my business in it. A pale green chaise lounge was set on one side, right across the space from a mirror and a long counter with wooden cabinets paneled in gold. The sink sat on top of the counter like a big porcelain bowl in front of a massive round mirror rimmed in gold.

A wall of glass separated the bathroom area. I did my business and washed my hands. The voices outside were getting louder.

I couldn't resist. I stopped by the door and listened.

"... think that someone like her actually stands a chance?"

"He's just having fun with her," a particularly nasal voice said. "And she's obviously with him for his wealth. Why would you even think he's serious about her?

"The way he looks at her."

"Oh, please. I didn't know you were that romantic, Alice," the first voice said. "Marriage is an alliance between families in our world. She's a nobody. Do you really think Nathaniel will actually marry her? Don't be ridiculous."

I raised my brows. Aha. So I was the lucky subject of their conversation. The poor bodyguard must be feeling all sorts of awkward.

A pair of high heels clicked closer. The voices quieted down. Enough eavesdropping. I opened the door and went out. There were now four young women, and a fifth was coming in through the entrance. It was Madison.

"Oh, finally," one of the four girls said, pushing past me into the bathroom.

The three women chuckled, whispering to themselves. Madison sat down on the other side of the waiting space and scrolled through her phone.

"Chink chink," one of the girls said and the three burst into a fit of giggles. Madison's finger froze on the screen. She didn't look up.

I turned and stood near Madison, looking at my reflection in the mirror. I didn't have lipstick, but I arranged the loose strands of hair framing my face and looked at the three women's reflection.

They were maybe three or four years older than me. Around Madison's age, I suspected. Funnily enough, I felt older than them. Which made sense. My experiences in life haven't exactly been typical, and these young women were sheltered, rich girls who probably never lacked a thing in life.

Or maybe I was being presumptuous and judgmental. One could never know what other people were dealing with in their private lives.

One thing was for sure, though, blurting an ethnic slur at someone was definitely wrong.

One of the girls caught me looking and raised her dark eyebrows. "What are you looking at?"

I smiled to myself. She didn't like my smile, apparently. She stood up and came closer. "Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing in particular," I said. Giving my hair one last glance, I turned around and gave her a bigger smile.

She crossed her arms and strutted closer. "Why don't you go back to your boyfriend, take advantage of the time you have with him," she said with a triumphant smile. "It won't be long, you know."

"Thank you for worrying about my relationship," I told her. "That's very generous of you."

She looked like she couldn't decide whether I was joking or not. "You know you won't last, right? A Maxwell will never marry a nobody."

I gave her a thoughtful nod. "I see. I'm sure when he decides to get married, he'll be looking for an entitled young woman with a self esteem just low enough that she needs to be racist in order to feel relevant."

Her eyes widened. She took a threatening step closer. The bodyguard moved. I shook my head at him, stilling him in place.

"You little slut," she hissed.

"And vulgar, to boot," I said with a small smile. "Your parents must be very proud. Your expensive education paid off."

Someone snorted. Surprisingly, it was one of the girls she'd been sitting with.

Her chest expanded with a furious breath. Right then, an older woman entered the waiting area. The girl facing me glanced at her and retreated back to her friends, looking furious.

I brushed some inexistent dust from my sleeves and went out. That felt refreshing after this stuffy evening.

I went back to the party. Nathaniel was in a heated conversation with an older man in one corner of the room, both of them were frowning. I slowed my steps. I didn't want to interrupt. It seemed serious. I lingered by the wall, facing the crowd. My bodyguard had melted away into the background again.

After a few minutes, someone joined me. Madison. She fussed with the ruffled sleeve of her shirt, her dark eyes looking around.

"I'm sorry about my mother," she finally said.

"You shouldn't apologize for other people," I said.

"She's my mother," she said, glancing at me. Up close, I could see two beauty spots on the bottom corner of her left eye and another on her nose.

"I can't say I blame her for wanting Nathaniel for her daughter," I said with a smile. "Nathaniel is quite a catch. Handsome, smart, kind, the list goes on."

She smiled back. "I'm not sure those are the attributes my mother is looking for in a potential son-in-law, unfortunately."

I liked her. "A shame, I guess."

"Yes. A shame."

We stood in comfortable silence for a few seconds. I went back to people watching. That was when I saw him.

It had been years, perhaps a decade, since I last saw him. He looked older, more wrinkled and thick in the middle.

He also looked smaller. Perhaps it was because I used to see him when I was a child, and everything and everyone looked big to us as children.

But it was definitely him. The sharp green eyes. The birthmark under his left eye, a splash of pink that stretched down to his cheek. The cleft on his chin.

Sweat broke along my hairline. The air was suddenly thinner and harder to find.

"Daphne?" Madison said, her voice distant to my ears. I didn't want to look away from the monster of my childhood. One of the sick pedophiles who ripped my innocence away. But I glanced at her.

She was staring at my hand. I looked down. I was holding my knife in a death grip. I knew I shouldn't be holding a weapon in plain sight here. But I couldn't bring myself to put it away.

I looked back at the man. He was smiling, the same sick smile I remembered, while looking down at someone.

Cecile.

My heart dropped. I raised my knife.

--- ---- ---

Hey guys! Another chapter.

I hope you like it. Don't forget to vote and comment!

Much love <3 <3 <3

M.B.

P.S: Red Velvet Irene as Madison (she's so prettyyyy)